When you are dealing with landscaping around a home here in Meade County, your bushes and shrubs take a serious beating from our fierce winter winds and heavy snow loads. Progressive Tree gets asked a ton of questions about how and when to keep those plants looking sharp without killing them. The most common things homeowners ask us involve timing, pruning limits, winter damage, and foundation plant maintenance.
When is the absolute best time to trim shrubs in Sturgis?
Most deciduous shrubs do best when you prune them in late winter or early spring right before new growth kicks off. The plants are still dormant, which means less stress and a much lower risk of disease transmission. Plus, without all the leaves in the way, you can actually see the structural branches you are working on. That said, if you have got spring-flowering bushes like lilacs, wait until right after they finish blooming, otherwise you will clip off all this year's flowers. Progressive Tree provides shrub trimming services for homes in Sturgis, SD.
How low can I cut my overgrown bushes without killing them?
That depends entirely on the species, but as a rule of thumb, you should not remove more than one-third of a plant's total mass in a single season. If you hack an old, woody caragana or juniper right down to the ground hoping it will bounce back, you might just end up with a pile of dead sticks. Some resilient shrubs tolerate hard rejuvenation pruning, but many native and ornamental varieties will just sulk or die if you scalp them. For Sturgis homes, Progressive Tree is here for all your shrub care needs.
Why do my shrub branches keep dying back every spring?
Winter burn and drying winds are usually to blame around here. When the ground freezes solid and the wind howls off the plains, evergreens and semi-woody shrubs lose moisture faster than their roots can pull it up from the frozen soil. Pruning out that dead, brown wood in the spring helps the plant redirect its energy into healthy new shoots instead of wasting it on dead weight. The work will hold up for many years in the Sturgis climate.
Should I seal the cuts after trimming my bushes?
Do not bother. Tree and shrub paints or wound sealants used to be popular, but modern arboriculture shows they actually trap moisture and fungus inside the cut, slowing down the plant's natural healing process. Clean, sharp bypass pruners leave a crisp wound that the shrub can seal up all on its own. We provide shrub care services for homes and businesses in Sturgis.
How do I stop my foundation shrubs from swallowing my house?
Plant selection and routine maintenance are important here. Homeowners often cram fast-growing shrubs right up against their siding, forcing constant, aggressive shearing to keep windows clear. If you are tired of fighting a losing battle every month, it is often better to remove the overgrown monster entirely and replace it with a dwarf variety that naturally stays out of your way. A well-built landscape adds real value to any home in Sturgis.
Call Progressive Tree for tree and shrub work in Sturgis, SD.